The English band Anathema seemed to have found a definitive sound with their last three albums. Spherical, broad-blown rock now seems to be Anathema's specialty, although the group is careful not to be pinned down to one style. For this album, influences from electronic music trickle through more often. Anathema uses repetitive, electronic rhythms in the same way as sometimes does, but in combination
… with the spherical synthesizer and piano parts, Anathema consciously opts for its own sound. Lyrically too, the group seems less heavy. In that respect, the album title (The Optimist) speaks for itself. Fortunately, the strong singer Lee Douglas has also been given a slightly bigger role than on the previous album. In this way, Anathema sets new standards without alienating herself from her loyal fans. (PdK)more
